Collapsible baby-carriage



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G. MQGINN.

GOLLAPSIBLE BABY CARRIAGE. No. 583,503. Patented June 1,1897.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2; G. MGGINN.

OOLLAPSIBLE BABY CARRIAGE.

No. 583,503. Patented June 1,1897.

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GOLLAPSIBLE BABY CARRIAGE. No. 583,503. Patented June 1, 1897.

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dais/ UNITED STATES PATENT I 'EETQE.

CHARLES IVICGINN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

COLLAPSIBLE BABY-CARRIAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,503, dated June 1, 1897. Application file'l September 17, 1896. Serial No. 606,147. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES MOGINN,a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Baby-Carriages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in collapsible baby-carriages, and has for its object to provide a device of this description which shall be so constructed as to be readily collapsible for storing within a small space or for transportation purposes and yet when adjusted for use will be as secure and rigid as carriages of ordinary construction.

Another object of my present invention is to so construct such a carriage as to give the same general appearance as carriages of ordinary design.

WVith these ends in view this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,in which Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a carriage built in accordance with my improvement; Fig. 2, a dismembered perspective of one of the sides, head, foot, and bottom of the carriage; Fig. 3, a plan view of the running-gear, the wheels being omitted; Fig. 4:, a detailed perspective of one end of an axle, handle, side-bar, and spring prior to assembling; and Fig. 5,a section of these parts after assemblage.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A represents the body of the carriage, which consists of the sides B, head C, and foot D, and these parts are provided with the eyes E and F, so arranged that when the sides, head, and foot come together they may be secured at the corners of the body by the insertion of the pins G,thus forminga rectangular body which will be securely prevented from spreading or collapsing until the pins have again been removed.

H is the bottom of the body, and consists of suitable woven work, preferably ofwillow or ratan, having the eyes I woven therewith, through which the side rods J are adapted to pass, and these rods also pass through the eyes K, which are woven with the sides B, thereby sec uring the bottom in place,the front end of which is pivotally attached to the foot of the body by the winding of a strand of cane or other material, as indicated at L, around the outer cross-piece of the bottom and the lower cross-piece of the foot. The bottom only extends rearward to the seat, which latter consists of a board M, having dowel-pins N arranged to fit within suitable holes in the cross-rod O of the bottom and the crossrail P of the head. This board may be upholstered, as indicated at Q, and also other portions of the body may be thus upholstered. The crossrail P terminates in sockets R, as also the bottom cross-rail of the foot, and through these sockets pass the rods J at the same time they are passed through the eyes I, and said rods may be secured against removal by the th Limb-screws S being run into their threaded ends.

The pins G have their lower ends threaded, as indicated at T, so that when they are passed through the eyes E and F they may be secured against removal by being run into the threaded ears U, which are formed upon the sockets B. By this arrangement a rigid body is produced which may be quickly folded into a small compass or thereafter adjusted for use. Before the rods J are run into place the eyes V of the front springs IV are placed between the. front sockets R and eyes I, so that when the rods are passed into place they will also pass through the eyes V, after which the springs will be secured in place by the set-screws X. The rear springs W are also secured upon the rods by the passage of said rods through the eyes V of said springs, which are then held in place by the set-screws X thereof.

The running-gear of the carriage consists of the axles a and b and the side-bars c, and each of these axles is slotted at (Z for the reception of the lower ends of the springs IV, which latter have formed therewith the offsets 6 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The side-bars have eyes f, formed upon each end thereof, adapted to fit over the squared portion of the axles, and these bars are secured to the front axle l) by first removing the set-screws g from the axle, passing the eyes over the ends thereof until they are beyond the slots 01, then placing the ends of the front springs IV within the slots, sliding the eyes outward over the offsets e, and finally resetting the screws 9, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, which will securely hold the several parts in their proper relative positions against displacement, as the eyes will retain the ends of the springs within the slots by engagement with the offsets, and the screws 9 will prevent said eyes from passing out of engagement with said offsets.

In securing the side-bars to the rear axle ct the handles it must first be secured to said axle, and this securement is provided for by the eyes 2', carried by the lower ends of the handles, said eyes being of the same shape as the eyes f, and after the screws Z have been removed the eyes 2' may be slipped over the ends of the axle beyond the points originally occupied by the screws, when the eyes f may also be passed into place upon the ends of the axle and beyond the slots at in order that the ends of the rear springs may be placed within said slots, and when this has been done the eyes f are moved outward until in engagement with the offsets 6, when they will beheld by the outward movement of the eyes 2' and the resetting of the screws Z, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. By this arrangement it will be seen that a firm and substantial framework will be provided for a carriage, which will be as rigid in all respects when adjusted for use as though each part were made stationary.

In adjusting the carriage for use it is preferable to first secure the running-gear, to gether with the springs W thereon, and then attach the body to said springs when adjusting the same; but of course the reverse method may follow of first adjusting the body with the springs attached thereto and then securing the springs to the axles.

In order that the handles may be made rigid, the stay-rods 'm are provided, and their lower ends riveted at n to the side-bars and their upper ends secured to the handles by the set-screws- 0, so that when the carriage is to be folded these upper ends may be released and swung parallel with the side-bars, so as to occupy but little space. Each of the handles may be secured to the cross-bar p by having their upper ends threaded for screwing into suitably-threaded holes formed in said bar.

In practice a carriage constructed in accordance with my improvement is of great advantage in that for ordinary purposes it will have the same appearance as carriages of usual design, and yet it may be quickly folded, so as to occupy a very small space, and may then be carried by the use of a shawl-strap or the like, thereby permitting its transportation to or from a pleasure-resort, the convenience of which will be readily recognized by those having a number of small children.

It is obvious that a number of slight modifications might be made in the design here shown, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to these exact details of construction.

"What I claim as new and useful is 1. A carriage of the character described, a body, consisting of two sides, and a head and foot, said sides, head and foot being secured together at their ends by the passage of pins through suitable eyes, rods J, a bottom II supported by said rod, and a running-gear for the support of said body, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a carriage of the character described, a body, consisting of two sides, a head and foot, said sides and boards being secured together by pins passed through suitable eyes secured to said sides and boards, eyes carried by the sides, rods J fitted within said eyes, a bottom H supported by the rods. springs W adapted to be secured to the body, axles a and b to which said lower ends of the springs are attached, side-bars 0 having eyes for engagement with the axles, and handles also having eyes for engagement with the rear axle, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a carriage of the character described, the sides 13, head and foot, each having eyes at their ends for the passage of pins G in securing said parts in position, eyes carried by the sides, rods .I fitted within said eyes, a bottom II supported by the rods, springs IV secured to the ends of the rods by means of suitable screws, offsets 6 formed upon the lower ends of the springs, axles a and bhaving slots (1 formed therein for the reception of said lower ends and offsets, side-bars having eyes for engagement with the axles and the offsets, handles having eyes t' for engagement with the axle a, and side screws for securing the cross-bars, springs and handles in position upon the axle, substantially as shown and described.

4:. In combination with the body of a carriage of the character described, the axles a and I) having slots d formed therein, springs IV, the lower ends of which are provided with offsets c, said ends and oifsets adapted to fit within the slots (1, side-bars 0, eyes f formed thereon for engagement with the axles, screws g for securing the forward eyes in engagement with the offsets upon the front springs, handles it, eyes i carried thereby, screws Z for securing the eyes i and rear eyes f upon the axle a, and stay-rods m riveted to the sidebars and secured by said screws to the bandles, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature in the presence of subscribing witnesses.

OHARLES McGINN. WVitnesses:

S. S. WILLIAMsoN, LESLIE WV. NEWBERRY, J. T. OooeAN, 2d. 

